G.O.D Complex// Earth Prime

A moment ago, as the conversation began...

"This is Captain Rhys of the Lionhorn Air Naval under the Teilvel Empire. Please identify yourself and the reason why you are in Logia," said Rhys. He paused momentarily before adding, "Can I speak with the person in charge?" Though phrased as a request, it was unmistakably a command.

"For the moment, I am the one in charge," Linus replied, casually glancing at the others, anticipating any objections. When no one stepped forward, he gave a small nod. "Sorry, I'm still trying to get used to this new environment," he added, looking around with feigned humility.

"Stick to the point. Don't waste my time. I ask questions, you answer. Anything out of line, and your soul will be forgotten," warned Captain Rhys. Linus smiled calmly and nodded in compliance.

"Are you a human from the orbital complex called the G.O.D?" Rhys asked.

Linus nodded.

Rhys' heart skipped a beat. Humans from the G.O.D were rare and highly valuable. Their bodies contained advanced AI interfaces, capable of being extracted and recycled. Even dead, they were worth significant compensation. Living ones, especially those with high intellect, could become assets capable of shifting the balance in inter-colony politics and science. Rhys, however, had to ensure one thing first.

"What color are you?" he asked firmly.

If the man was green, it would be a windfall. If red or white, he'd kill him and recover the body.

"Green," Linus answered plainly.

"Show me your wrist. I'm not that gullible," said Rhys.

Linus held out his wrist, revealing the unmistakable green hue. Rhys was thrilled.

"Good, good," Rhys muttered, his eyes scanning the rest of Linus' group. Most wore the black tactical suits that dated back to the Tech-Magia Fallout War.

"Is there any other space human apart from you?" Rhys asked.

"Yes. One of my partners is currently fighting a parasite on the lower floors," Linus answered.

"What color is he?"

"Red."

Rhys immediately flagged that person for termination and recycling. He turned to his humanoid AI, Vela, for a brief exchange before returning his attention to Linus.

"What is your relationship with the others?" he asked.

"None," Linus replied.

This startled those nearby. Beatrice cursed and tried to lunge at him, but Charlotte stopped her, her expression unreadable.

"Are you seriously going to say that?" Charlotte asked.

Rhys chuckled. Her reaction was priceless—betrayal laced with disbelief.

"Hmmm... It's amusing. But it's missing something," he said, thinking aloud.

"Maybe it's because the br—" Vela began.

"Quiet! I'm thinking," Rhys snapped.

"Okay, state your demands," he said at last.

"In exchange for knowledge of the G.O.D and the former world, I wish for asylum and proper treatment. I have no connection with these people, nor do I care for their fate," Linus said without a shred of hesitation.

Captain Rhys grinned. He gave the order: a troop formation would enter the colony.

"Kill all those native to the colony. Capture the humans in white," he commanded.

---

Kyaaaa!

Bang!

Ding!

Four floors down, the elevator doors opened. A dark-red creature ascended from below.

"Why did you follow me?" Cross asked, strapping on his cold-gas gear. Levi, now equipped with a hydrogen tank rifle, readied his stance.

"I'm not the type to sit idle," Levi replied.

Cross didn't comment further. He activated his helmet comms. "Release the elevator," he ordered.

A tremendous roar followed as the elevator detached and plummeted.

"Are you ready?" Cross asked.

Levi nodded.

Their boots' air propulsion systems activated, hurling them down the shaft. As they spiraled downward, they saw a distant burst—the crashing elevator smashing into the parasite.

"There are two ways to kill these parasites," Cross explained. "One, freeze them. Two, destroy the core. But finding the core is near impossible. So we freeze."

As they descended, they fired concentrated nitrogen at the parasite's appendages clinging to the walls. The air turned frigid. The parasite shrieked in pain, thrashing as the icy assault crystallized its limbs.

Nothing escaped their wrath—not flames, not fluid, not flesh.

They emerged from the crushed elevator shaft as the parasite, now 90% frozen, writhed in agony.

Kyaaaa!

Its cry resembled that of a newborn. Cross expected Levi to flinch. He didn't. Levi walked calmly toward the beast, rifle aimed.

"Go cry elsewhere," Levi muttered, delivering the final blast.

The creature shattered into frozen fragments.

"In the beginning, these things terrorized humans. But once cities developed defenses, they became pests," Cross said, stepping over its corpse.

"How did you discover nitrogen worked on them?" Levi asked.

"By accident. A failed experiment. It slowed them. High-concentration hydrogen froze them."

---

"We're going to die!" Sebastian cried, clinging to Benjamin.

"Get off me, you bastard!" Benjamin shouted.

The parasite rushed forward.

Puff! Scrzzz!

Cold beams fired from above. The parasite screeched as frost devoured half its body. More beams surrounded it.

Within moments, it was a frozen sculpture. Joan approached.

"Package secured," he reported.

---

Back in the control room...

"They rejected the communication," Paul said, panicking.

"Resend it," Linus instructed.

"What if they reject again?" Beatrice asked anxiously.

"Then consider us dead," Linus replied calmly.

[REQUEST ACCEPTED]

The screen flickered on.

"What did you say!?" Captain Rhys roared, standing abruptly.

"May I know what this means, young man?!" he shouted.

Linus smiled in silence.

"Is this some trick from the bipedals?!" Rhys was livid.

"May I speak?" Vela asked.

"You better have something important, or I'll dismantle you," Rhys growled.

"I analyzed the footage. It appears to be pre-recorded," Vela said.

"Impossible! You want me to believe he predicted my words?!"

Meanwhile, the extraction team stormed the colony's core room. It was empty. On the wall was a simple phrase:

Checkmate.

To be continued...